2001 visit to Lvov

Selection of photographs from the trip in 2001.

Our third visit to Lvov, in Summer 2001, was led by Rabbi Livingstone. We were joined by Rabbi M Rose and his wife. This was highly apposite for Rabbi Rose, as the secretary of the Conference of European rabbis, was responsible for the twinning of HGSS and Lvov. This trip was memorable for the fact that we took with us a newly written Sefer Torah, generously donated by the Tager family, and presented it to the Lvov community. The incredible scenes that took place at the Hachnosas Sefer Torah will forever be etched on the memory of those who were present.

Rabbi Rose recorded the events:

An account of our visit to Lvov, Ukraine
Thursday August 30th - Monday September 3rd 2001

Last September, my wife and I were privileged to join a group of members of Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue on a visit to the Jewish Community in Lvov. The synagogue was twinned with Lvov at my suggestion, through the agency of the Conference of European Rabbis, some eight years ago. Since then HGSS has supported the community of Lvov in many ways by raising and remitting much needed funds as well as providing basic religious items. On this visit, headed by Rabbi Reuven and Rabbanit Esther Livingstone, each of the fifteen members of the HGS group took, apart from their own personal luggage, other suitcases containing 120 Mezuzot, Tephilin and Tzitzit and a large quantity of sweets. The highlight of all these gifts was a newly written Sefer Torah donated by Mr and Mrs Romie Tager. The group was led by Jeremy and Gill Freedman who have been actively involved in raising the funds and organising similar visits in the past.

The community in Lvov is led by a very dedicated young American couple, Rabbi Shlomo and Rabbanit Sarah Bald. They have been sent to the community by the Karliner Rebbe. Under their guidance a growing Jewish life is returning to this part of the Ukraine and to the once flourishing community of Lvov, famous for the numerous renowned gedolei hador who were its spiritual leaders from the 16th century onwards.

Lvov has an air of neglect, as if people are too tired to do anything for themselves. The depressive atmosphere which pervades the town is the result of over 80% unemployment in the whole of Western Ukraine. The meagre retirement pension of $10 a month does not go very far.

For many residents, the synagogue and its activities are the only ray of light, both in terms of spiritual uplift and physical preservation. We saw how after Shacharis each day the elderly gentlemen who attended were given a slice of bread, a bowl of water porridge (gruel) and a cup of black tea - for many the only food of the day.

We also saw food parcels being prepared for about 50 people. This was their Shabbat on Wheels service. Each parcel consists of two small challot, cabbage salad, potato kugel and a small tin of sardines. Our group went on to deliver these parcels and visit the people in their homes. Most recipients are housebound and bedridden. They live on the upper floors of large apartment buildings where water and electricity are often cut off without prior warning.

During the visit we were taken to the site of the Janovska Concentration Camp. There some 200,000 men, women and children were forced to undress, then murdered, as they fell into a pit where they were then cremated. Across the road is the railway line from where another 500,000 were taken to Auschwitz and Treblinka where they too were murdered. A memorial stone was erected only 8 years ago to commemorate these dastardly events.

Friday night, Erev Shabbat was an evening to remember. We lit candles in the synagogue, one older woman made certain that only those who were Jewish were given candles. This was followed by Kabbalat Shabbat. The 25 elderly gentlemen were there, plus a dozen young boys of Barmitzvah age and a dozen or so teenage girls as well as us. Most of the davening was sung to every tune the Rabbi had taught them. He went around making sure that everyone had the place. After Kabbalat Shabbat, Kiddush was made in the Shul and then the elderly people were given soup, a plate of tomato and cucumber, cabbage salad and a small piece of fish, before returning to their homes. We went into the communal hall and were joined by the youngsters and a few members of the community. The youngsters are in the area all of Shabbat, sleeping in two rented apartments within walking distance of the shul. Usually they join Rabbi and Rabbanit Bald in their home for all Shabbat meals.

On Shabbat most of the davening was sung by both old and young, to tunes taught to them by Rabbi Bald, in real Carlebach style. During the service two little girls were given Jewish names. The baby was called Esther and the older girl, Miriam. The women from our group threw sweets and gave the older girl a bag of sweets. The men sang and it was very moving.

On the way to the synagogue we passed several schools where ceremonies for the opening of the new school year on September 1st were taking place, with bands and official speeches, a tradition instituted during the Communist era.

Sunday morning saw the synagogue as a hive of activity presided over by Rabbanit Esther Livingstone. Several teenage girls came to the synagogue courtyard where they started making or finishing posters to decorate the shul in preparation for the Hachnassat Sefer Torah. They decorated the shul with balloons and coloured paper chains. Children from the Jewish kindergarten were brought in, each one wearing a crown, a large cut out paper Sefer Torah on their chests and carried a homemade flag, like on Simchat Torah. A six piece band of Jewish boys dressed in white Kippot and fancy waistcoats played in the background. Two hundred people were expected but five hundred people turned up! Excitement filled the air.

In the Zohar we find the statement, "Hakol talui bemazal afilu Sefer Torah bahechal". Everything depends on mazal even the Sefer Torah in the Sanctuary. This idea came to mind when Romie Tager proudly brought the Sefer Torah into the Synagogue. I thought of the thousands of Sifrei Torah which had been destroyed in Europe during the dark days of the Nazi and Communist eras and what a symbol of hope it now constituted in Lvov in the year 2001. Rabbi Bald explained (in Ukrainian) that the final letters of the Torah would be written by the Rabbis, the donor of the Torah, other guests of the group from England and some members of their own community. Finally the Torah was laid on the shulchan and the last letters were reverentially written under the watchful eye of Rabbi Livingstone.

In the meantime, in the courtyard a hired non-Jewish band began playing Jewish tunes which had been supplied to them beforehand. Once they had finished writing, the Torah was brought out and the parade commenced. The band led the way, followed by the teenage boys and girls on either side of the street carrying lit torches. Then came the little children wearing their crowns and then the Chupah, under which the Torah in all its finery was carried. The members of the community followed, and the Rabbis, guests and some members took it in turn to carry the Torah. The band played and we danced and sang as we wound our way round the street back to the shul. Many non-Jewish people looked out of their windows to see this parade, which had been co-ordinated with the police. (It should be noted that this, in all probability, was the first Sefer Torah completed, with a Siyyum HaTorah and welcomed into any conununity in the FSU for well over 60 years).

Read what the Lvov children write about their new Sefer Torah

Read how the UK Jewish press reported on the new Sefer Torah

The New Day School

Monday, our last day in Lvov was a very full one. it started with davening in the shul and as it was Yom Sheni the new Sefer Torah was used. After breakfast we were taken by coach to the Jewish Day School which is situated in a suburb but has good transportation facilities. The building and grounds, which are in very poor condition, are surrounded by typical communist style housing units, 12 storey blocks, 4 apartments on each floor and at least 5 separate entrances, altogether 240 apartments in each complex. The site of the school was previously a kindergarten complex comprising eight kindergartens with outdoor shelters and play equipment for each unit. The whole site has been bought for the Jewish community and will be refurbished by the Ronald Lauder Foundation, as one of its many benevolent activities in Eastern Europe. Although it is a Jewish school it followed the traditional opening ceremony for the new school year.

Parents and children were lined up on each side of the pathway to the school. First graders walked in procession to the entrance of the building with their teachers, most of them carrying bouquets of flowers wearing their best clothes and the little girls with big ribbons in their hair.

Parents, teachers, children and guests were welcomed by Rabbanit Sarah Bald, who at 27 is the head of the school. This was her day. She presided, most efficiently, over the proceedings with great charm and dignity, speaking fluently in Ukrainian. Speakers included the Director of State Education in the Western Ukraine, the local District Inspector, the Health Inspector and her Deputy and the Tax Inspector, who gave every first grader a booklet describing the importance of children growing up and paying taxes. Rabbi Livingstone, Rabbi Rose for the Conference of European Rabbis, the representative of the Jewish Agency, a representative of Bnei Brith and one of the teachers addressed the gathering. Each speaker was given a bouquet, hence the reason for the first graders arriving with flowers. The Bell Ceremony then followed, where the oldest child in the school takes the hand of the youngest and walks up and down between the rows of children ringing the school bell.

Finally we all entered the building and were able to see how much work has already been put in to repair the building. A "state of the art" kitchen has been installed and in future all the cooked meals for the community will be supplied from it. The children will be given two meals a day. For many this is their staple daily diet. Our next visit was to the Jewish Kindergarten which is situated nearby in one of the State run kindergarten complexes. It will not be moved into the new school premises but remain where it is for the sake of good will with the local authorities. These authorities regularly bring teachers from other kindergartens to see how such institutions can be run efficiently and attractively. The kindergarten caters for children up to the age of 7 when they go to school. It is well equipped, although to the western trained teacher such as my wife, the toys seemed rather regimented. Each child has a locker where they keep their clothes whilst sleeping, They receive two meals a day and remain on the premises from 8.30am until
7.00pm.
 

Read what the Lvov children write about their new school

Conclusion

As we returned to the Airport for our flight back to London via Warsaw, our thoughts were rather mixed. Exhilaration tinged with sadness and sympathy is perhaps the best description. Sadness for what had once been and will never return, sympathy for the plight of those living in a neglected area of Europe and exhilaration for what has been achieved and in the spirit of "am yisrael chai' what can still be done to revive the traditional Jewish spirit so dear to us.

Finally "kol hakavod" to HGSS for adopting such an important and cherished mitzvah of saving Jewish souls.

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Esther Tager wrote:

In September a number of HGSS congregants led by Rabbi and Mrs Livingstone and Gill and Jeremy Freedman visited the Lvov community. We were joined by Rabbi and Mrs Maurice Rose from Jerusalem. It was Rabbi Rose, the convener of the Council of European Rabbis, who originally suggested to Rabbi Jackson the idea of twinning Lvov with HGS. The Jewish community of Lvov suffers from the endemic unemployment, poverty and social health problems that affect the whole of the Ukraine.

The purpose of the visit was to demonstrate solidarity with the community and the presentation of a new Sefer Torah donated by Romie and myself to the community. For many in the community the synagogue is their only lifeline for it is there that they can obtain food, warmth and spiritual uplift. The synagogue also provides a Shabbat on Wheels service for approximately fifty housebound people. The Shabbat that we spent with the community was notable not only for the enormous hospitality of the community, (some of whose members had travelled twelve hours to Kiev to obtain Kosher chickens for us), but also for the marvellous atmosphere and joy simply because it was Shabbat.

The day of the Hakknassat Sefer Torah was a glorious sunny day. None of the group from London could have anticipated the sense of exhilaration that we all experienced dancing through the streets of Lvov together with some five to six hundred Jews from Lvov proudly carrying the newly completed Sefer Torah. According to Rabbi Rose it was, in all probability, the first Sefer Torah completed with a Siyyum Hatorah welcomed into any community in the FSU for over sixty years. The day concluded with a wonderful concert given by the children and members of the community.

Our visit coincided with the opening of the new school building purchased with funds from the Lauder Foundation. The school will continue to provide an excellent education for the pupils, but also a much needed social welfare programme for them and their families. The group returned home exhilarated, humbled and with a sense of purpose. Our emotions ranged from utter distress for the physical conditions of the majority of the community to sheer admiration for the spiritual regeneration of the community under the guidance of the dedicated Rabbi and Mrs Bald. The community of Lvov has risen spiritually from the ashes. The community of Lvov, especially the children, desperately need our continued support. We who are fortunate must continue to maintain our support for the renewal of Judaism in Lvov.